Royal-Memorial Stadium expansion projects

[Harry]

July 17, 1997 - VOL. 24, NO. 14

Terry A. Wilson

On Campus staff

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Royal-Memorial Stadium expansion projects to affect traffic flow, parking options

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The UT Austin intercollegiate athletics department recently held two public forums to discuss the renovation and expansion of the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the Neuhaus-Royal Athletic Complex and the construction of a new track and soccer stadium.

Athletics department officials and representatives from UT's Parking and Traffic Division also were on hand to discuss the effect construction around the stadium will have on student, faculty and staff parking as well as traffic flow and parking on football game days.

Doug Messer, senior associate athletics director in charge of finances, said, "All of the projects that have been approved by the board of regents total approximately $91 million and include long over-due renovation and improvement of restrooms and concession space that requires new plumbing and electrical work to the 75- year-old stadium."

The projects include:

Expanding the seating capacity of Royal-Memorial from its present 75,512 seat capacity to 85,000, including the addition of 66 new luxury skyboxes. Estimates for these improvements total $51.6 million.

A $9.2 million renovation and expansion of the Neuhaus-Royal Athletic Complex at the stadium's south end zone.

A new $12 million track and soccer stadium.

The football field will be lowered and the track will be removed at a cost of $2.5 million. Athletics officials indicated this will allow spectators in the front rows to see the game without having to stand.

UT already has spent $1.25 million on the installation of a natural grass field in the stadium and an additional $1.3 million on a soccer/football practice field.

"To fund all of our projects, we are raising $30 million from alumni and donors ($24 million already has been contributed or pledged) and will finance approximately $50 million of the total through the sale of bonds, which will be repaid from ticket surcharges and skybox lease fees.

"No tax money is being used, or can be used, for intercollegiate athletics or the stadium,"said Messer.

Construction on the stadium and other projects discussed will effect game-day parking and access to the stadium during the upcoming football season. UT Austin Police captain Rollin Donelson told faculty, staff, students and alumni attending the forum that Capitol Metro's shuttle bus service will not be available to game patrons this fall. Customers that have used the shuttle service can use the regular Capitol Metro buses, with stops on 26th street, Red River street, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Guadalupe street.

"Fans will have to adjust to the fact that the shuttle will not be in service to drop them off in the front or rear of the stadium," said Donelson. Game-day traffic will be routed north on San Jacinto Boulevard and one way south on the part of East Campus drive that will be open.

David Kapalko, director of parking and transportation at UT Austin, said, "Overall, we will not have a net loss of parking spaces, but fans coming to football games will have to park in lots they are unaccustomed to.

"Three lots that were available for public parking on game days will now be reserved for VIP parking," said Kapalko.

"Those lots are across from the Jamail Swim Center, just north of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; south of the Erwin Center on 15th street; and on Comal, east of IH-35. A new parking facility adjacent to the Jester Center dormitory that will open this fall will also be available for VIP parking on game days," Kapalko said.

Updated parking information is available on the campus web site: http://www.utexas.edu/business/parking.